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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MARCH, 1897.
seeing him rolling senseless on the earth restored him by uttering prayers to Siva. He touched his limbs compassionately, and he immediately got up, and the fisherman having gained courage told his story :-'O Viprêndra, 56 listen to my story. I will relate it to you. In my former birth I was the son of a Brahman of noble descent. I was a sinful villain. My companions, too, were very wicked. In conjunction with them I used to take away calves, and, unseen by others, I, very cruel and with the aid of those powerful ones,57 used to throw them into deep wells and kill them. I used to set nets and killed many birds by throwing stones at them and beating them with sticks. I used to take young birds from their nests, and tying their feet very tightly, I caused them to dance for many days, and then I killed them. I, by means of many contrivances, killed crows, herons, sparrows, owls, hawks, ravens, cuckoos, pigeons (doves), partridges, francolius, babblers, snake-eaters, and many cranes, fishes, frogs, snakes and water-snakes, and worms, mice, alligators, chátakas,58 dogs, foxes, monkeys, buffaloes and cows. What else is there to tell? In a very little while I killed a multitude of animals. My father, seeing me growing thus wicked, placed me in the hands of a master to learn. There also I influenced all the boys in an evil manner, and led them into bad courses. The master (guru), knowing this, punished me. So one night, taking. advantage of an opportunity, I killed him also with stones.
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Once, on a night in the month of Kârttika, I went, O Brahmans, accompanied by thieves, to Kaitabhêsvara, intending to steal. It being a dark night, I could not find the road, try as I would. So, going near a certain house, I took by stealth a lamp of great brilliancy which was standing on a pillar, and went to Siva's temple. Taking the lamp in my hand, I, after some trouble, broke open the door and went near the linga. I placed the lamp in front of Siva, and I took the golden ornaments. When I was going away the watchmen saw me. They bound me and beat me severely, and took me to the king, who ordered me to be hanged on the gallows. O Brahmans, I died there, after suffering much pain. Then the followers of Yama came, bound me and beat me severely. Those servants of the god of death placed (joined) my life in a body (so that I could) suffer torments. They put a terrible and red-hot iron chain through my nostrils, and then they took me along a horrible (fear-inspiring) road. On the way they roared at me, contemned me, and beat me. I was then weeping, I was very hungry, and my throat, lips and palate were. parched. I was like a corpse, I had no clothes on, and I remembered (with remorse) the sins that I had committed. At some places there was mud, at some places there was fire, at some places there was hot (boiling) mud, at some places there was hot sand, at some places there were very pointed (sharp) stones, at some places falling from mountains (precipices), at some places climbing steep mountains, at some places numbers of thorny trees (bushes), at some places a heap of pointed (sharp) stones, at some places entering into (going through) fire, at some places climbing a precipice, at some places falling from that (precipice), at some places dense darkness, at some places on the way breaking (or tearing) open veins, at some places tearing off my skin. They put hot stones on my head, in my hands, and on my shoulders, then beating me severely they took me at great speed (like the wind). At some places snakes, at some places tigers, at some places swarms of hornets (or bees), at some places vajra-kitas,5 at some places multitudes of crows. At some places being bitten by leeches, at some places being bitten by lions, at some places dogs bit me severely. Along such a very (most) difficult road the powerful Kinnaras led me. Thus I, lamenting, sore-distressed, and full of remorse for my former deeds, arrived at length at Hell. Yama, too, was of a terrible appearance, and looked like a burning fire. He, mounted on a buffalo, judged the despised (rejected)
65 Lit., gave him new life.
se Excellent Brahman or lord of the Brahmana.
ST Ruffians or bullies.
Cuculus melanoleucus. A bird fabled to drink only from the clouds, and therefore to be ever eagerly expectant
of rain.
A winged insect which bores holes in wood and stone.
